The spotted towhee is a distinctive bird, with red eyes, a white belly, rufous sides, black speckled wings and a black hood. Females are dark brown rather than black. Look for white edges on the long tail when the bird flies.

Towhees are large sparrows that live mostly on the ground. They feed by hopping forward with both feet, and scratching in the dirt or in leaf litter as their feet move back. This makes a distinctive sound, and a good birder will be able to recognize a towhee in the deep brush by listening to the scraping. Like other members of the sparrow family, they eat mostly seeds but also feed on insects, especially during the breeding season.

Towhees are more common in our area in the warmer months but can occasionally be found in winter. They can be found in brushy areas along streams and at the edges of conifer woods, such as the Leavenworth Fish Hatchery and Blackbird Island. The range of the spotted towhee extends from southern Alaska to southwestern Mexico, where it is called Rascador Pinto Oscuro, meaning “Dark Speckled Scraper.” Another name for the spotted towhee is Toqui Pinto, which means “Spotted Chief.”